1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ply-twisted yarns and cut resistant fabric for use in articles of protective clothing. The fabric is cut resistant and form fitting by virtue of cut resistant synthetic fibers, inorganic fibers and elastomeric fibers being combined in a particular manner.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,534.175 discloses a cut resistant fabric made from at least one cut resistant yarn comprising a first strand, which is a sheath/core yarn having a sheath of cut resistant staple fibers and a metal fiber core, plied with a second strand, which is a yarn comprising cut resistant fibers free of metal fibers. The specification discloses the second strand may contain some fibers of other materials, such as cotton or nylon or the like. The individual filaments or fibers in this strand have a linear density of 0.5 to 7 dtex.
PCT publication WO 03/016602 discloses a cut resistant yarn comprising at least one continuous synthetic elastomeric filament and a plurality of bulked continuous cut-resistant filaments. The bulked continuous cut-resistant filaments have a random entangled loop structure in the yarn.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,713 discloses a yarn having discrete metallic fibers and an electromagnetic shield fabric and gloves made from those yarns.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,287,690; 5,248,548; 4,470,251; 4,384,449; and 4,004,295, all disclose the use of yarns having metallic fiber cores and high strength synthetic fiber wrappings to make fabrics used in cut resistant articles of clothing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,512 discloses a cut protective fabric made from cut resistant yarn comprising two dissimilar non-metallic fibers, at least one non-metallic fiber being flexible and inherently cut resistant and the other having a hardness level of above about three Mohs on the hardness scale.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,231,700; 5,442,815; and 6,044,493 disclose the use of elastomeric materials in cut resistant articles.